A place like the Right Livers' Rest was bound to draw freaks, same as molasses draws flies. 1935, George Goodchild, chapter 5, in Death on the Centre Court: By one o'clock the place was choc-a-bloc.
Swallowing certain types of poisons may cause excessive salivation. According to the National Library of Medicine, pesticides can cause excessive saliva when they are swallowed. Venom from snake bites or insect stings is another type of poisoning that can cause the malady.
Some possible causes of choking on saliva are hypersalivation, dysphagia and certain types of neurological conditions. Some very common causes for hypersalivation can be due to eating spicy or sour foods or taking certain medications.